NLCentral_Cincinnati Reds

2014 Boston Gameday HQ

CINCINNATI REDS
5-YEAR SCORECARD
2013 2012 2011 2010 2009
WINS 90 97 79 91 78
RUNS PER GAME 4.31 4.13 4.54 4.88 4.15
RUNS ALLOWED PER GAME 3.64 3.63 4.44 4.23 4.46
OPENING-DAY PAYROLL (millions) $107 $88 $81 $76 $74
Jay Bruce
2014 STRENGTHS:
• The starting and relief pitching may be
the division’s strongest
• Speed at top of order with
middle-of-order power
• Good overall defense
2014 WEAKNESSES:
• Batting in clutch situations
• Depth behind the first five starters
• Lack of power bats on bench
The Reds won 90 games for the third
time in four seasons in 2013, but their
final-weekend falter and loss in the
wild card game led to a change of
manager and a change of course in
offensive strategy at the top of the order.
There’s plenty of talent here, enough to
challenge for the division again.
HITTING
The Reds were third in the NL in runs,
despite ranking eighth in batting average
(.249) and seventh in homers (155). An on-base
percentage of .327 (second in the league)
helped. A lot of that was Shin-Soo Choo, who
is now in Texas—although Joey Votto was also
seemingly always on, walking 135 times, with
a team-high .435 OBP. Enter Billy Hamilton.
The fastest man in baseball—he’s been timed at
3.3 seconds from home to first—Hamilton could
singlehandedly match, if not pass, the 2013
Reds’ team total of 67 stolen bases, provided he
adjusts to big league pitching and gets on base.
That sets the wheels in motion for 2013 All-Star
starters Brandon Phillips and Joey Votto, a
four-time All-Star, and 2010 MVP, and slugger
Jay Bruce, who has averaged 32 homers and
102 RBIs each of the last three seasons. Bruce’s
109 RBIs last season were a career-high. The
Reds have offense one-through-eight, as even
the bottom of the order, Ryan Ludwick and Todd
Frazier have 20-homer power.
NL Central
BOB LEVEY/GETTY IMAGES SPORT